AI's Threat to Economic Equity: A Statement of Urgent Concern

We are a coalition of educators, community organizers, workforce development professionals, and concerned citizens who have witnessed firsthand the struggles of working-class and low-income communities across America—from Appalachian coal towns to inner-city neighborhoods, from rural farming communities to deindustrialized suburbs. We write with profound concern about artificial intelligence's accelerating threat to economic mobility for all those trapped in poverty, regardless of race. Our alarm stems from mounting evidence that AI, far from democratizing opportunity, is poised to create an unprecedented economic divide between those with resources and access, and those without—a divide that will devastate low-income communities of all backgrounds while disproportionately impacting communities of color.

The fundamental crisis is one of economic class, with devastating racial dimensions. Across America, 74% of workers without college degrees—Black, white, Latino, and others—face an automation tsunami targeting the very jobs that have historically provided pathways to stability¹. Entry-level positions are projected to lose nearly 50 million jobs², with experts predicting AI could eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years³. These aren't abstract numbers—they represent families in rural Kentucky, urban Detroit, the Mississippi Delta, and countless other communities where the next paycheck matters more than the next technological breakthrough.

The training apartheid transcends race while reinforcing racial inequities. Workers earning over $100,000 annually—regardless of background—are twice as likely to receive 20+ hours of AI training compared to those earning less than $30,000⁴. Only 49% of lower-income workers have regular access to AI tools, versus 78% of high earners⁵. This disparity affects the white factory worker in Ohio as profoundly as the Black service worker in Atlanta, though systemic racism ensures communities of color face compounded disadvantages. The result: 80% of high earners report developing new skills through AI, while only 49% of lower earners can say the same⁶.

The racial wealth gap amplifies these class divisions in particularly cruel ways. By 2045, if current patterns persist, AI could widen the racial wealth gap by $43 billion annually⁷. Black workers are overrepresented in four of the five occupations most vulnerable to automation⁸, meaning that while all low-income communities suffer, communities of color face a double burden. By 2030, AI is projected to automate 52% of "gateway jobs"—those $42,000+ positions that don't require degrees⁹—eliminating the primary ladder to middle-class stability for millions of Americans of all races.

Geographic isolation compounds economic vulnerability. Rural communities—whether predominantly white Appalachian towns or majority-Black Southern counties—lack the broadband infrastructure necessary for participating in an AI-enabled economy¹⁰. The persistent digital divide ensures that AI's benefits concentrate in affluent urban and suburban areas while its disruptions devastate communities already struggling with declining industries and limited opportunities. A coal miner's child in West Virginia faces similar barriers to a farmworker's child in California's Central Valley—both shut out from the AI revolution by circumstance, not choice.

Women across all racial and ethnic groups face particular vulnerability, with 79% working in occupations highly exposed to AI automation compared to 58% of men¹¹. Young workers entering the job market—whether from inner-city schools or rural districts—confront the highest disruption rates, with 49% believing AI has already diminished their education's value¹². The skills required for jobs will change by 65% by 2030¹³, a transformation affecting every American worker without access to continuous learning opportunities.

History teaches us that technological revolutions consistently widen class divisions while reinforcing racial hierarchies. As Professor Amy Slaton observes, "Capitalism in America is racial capitalism"¹⁴—each automation wave has maintained existing inequalities while creating new forms of exclusion. Poor white communities have suffered alongside communities of color during previous industrial transitions, though structural racism has ensured unequal impacts. Without intervention, AI will accelerate these patterns at unprecedented speed and scale.

The window for action is closing rapidly. The 2025-2030 period represents our last opportunity to prevent a permanent underclass—multiracial but disproportionately Black and Brown, urban and rural, young and old. We need universal AI literacy programs in all schools, mandated equitable access to AI training regardless of income or location, and workforce development focused on "future-proof skills" that resist automation¹⁵. Most critically, we must ensure AI's wealth generation benefits all communities—from Rust Belt towns to reservation lands, from urban housing projects to migrant farm communities.

The technology promising unprecedented prosperity could instead create permanent economic apartheid affecting millions of Americans. The choices we make today will determine whether AI becomes a tool for broad-based opportunity or the final consolidation of advantage among the already privileged. We cannot allow technology to divide us further when our shared struggles demand united action.

Join Us in Building an Equitable AI Future

We cannot do this work alone. Whether you represent a school district seeking to prepare students for an AI-enabled world, a workforce development organization helping workers transition to new careers, or a community group fighting for economic justice, we want to partner with you. AI for All exists to support your vision and amplify your impact through strategic AI literacy initiatives tailored to your community's unique needs and strengths.

Reach out to us to explore how we can contribute to your purpose and mission. Together, we can ensure that AI becomes a tool for liberation rather than oppression, transforming individual lives and revitalizing entire communities. Contact us today to discuss how we can collaborate to close the opportunity gap and build the equitable future our communities deserve.

Dr. Chris Unger

Co-founder and co-director of the CPS LEARN Lab

College of Professional Studies

Northeastern University

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References

1. "Future of Work Report: AI at Work." November 2023. LinkedIn. [Project Knowledge]

2. "59 AI Job Statistics: Future of U.S. Jobs." May 30, 2025. National University. https://www.nu.edu/blog/ai-job-statistics/

3. "Top 17 Predictions from Experts on AI Job Loss." 2025. AI Multiple. https://research.aimultiple.com/ai-job-loss/

4. "Digital Etiquette: Unlocking the AI Gates." June 2025. The Adaptavist Group. https://www.theadaptavistgroup.com/company/press/artificial-inequality-ai-is-exacerbating-career-income-and-gender-divides-global

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. "The Impact of Generative AI on Black Communities." December 2023. McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility. [Project Knowledge]

8. "What will generative AI mean for the racial wealth gap?" February 16, 2024. Center for Public Integrity. https://publicintegrity.org/inside-publici/newsletters/watchdog-newsletter/generative-ai-racial-wealth-gap/

9. "The Impact of Generative AI on Black Communities." December 2023. McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility. [Project Knowledge]

10. "Is AI Impact on Rural Communities and Livelihoods Balanced?" 2024. Sustainability Directory. [Project Knowledge]

11. "59 AI Job Statistics: Future of U.S. Jobs." May 30, 2025. National University. https://www.nu.edu/blog/ai-job-statistics/

12. "Is AI closing the door on entry-level job opportunities?" 2025. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/04/ai-jobs-international-workers-day/

13. "Future of Work Report: AI at Work." November 2023. LinkedIn. [Project Knowledge]

14. "What will generative AI mean for the racial wealth gap?" February 16, 2024. Center for Public Integrity. https://publicintegrity.org/inside-publici/newsletters/watchdog-newsletter/generative-ai-racial-wealth-gap/

15. "The Impact of Generative AI on Black Communities." December 2023. McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility. [Project Knowledge]

16. "A Blueprint for Equitable AI." 2024. The Aspen Institute. [Project Knowledge]

17. "AI and Education: Guidance for Policy-makers." 2021. UNESCO. [Project Knowledge]

18. Ibid.

19. "A Blueprint for Equitable AI." 2024. The Aspen Institute. [Project Knowledge]

20. "The Impact of Generative AI on Black Communities." December 2023. McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility. [Project Knowledge]

21. "A Blueprint for Equitable AI." 2024. The Aspen Institute. [Project Knowledge]

22. "Projects." 2025. Future Plans. https://futureplans.org/programs/